God Is Just

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3

John 3:16 speaks of God's love and believing in His Son for eternal life. This verse speaks of knowing God and His Son Jesus for eternal life. Therefore we understand that knowing and believing in God and Jesus must be closely related. And indeed, without believing in Jesus it seems that a reading of the Old Testament will leave one feeling that God is mean. However, with belief in Jesus we read and see that it is God's justice that many confuse with meanness. With the Law of Moses, Israel made a contract with God. And everything the nation suffered was a consequence of their sin or punishment according to the terms of their contract. Repent and be restored was the message from God by way of the prophets for hundreds of years. Then God sent His Son, and still most of Israel would not believe. We enjoy a time when Gentiles will believe in Jesus, but God is not done with Israel just yet.

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Bucky

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day!